Qiao Xi subconsciously looked up and saw Nangong He leaning casually against the second-floor railing with one hand while talking on the phone.
He was only loosely wearing a bathrobe.
Perhaps because he was used to living alone, the robe wasn’t even tied properly.
From Qiao Xi’s angle, she could clearly see the smooth lines of his chest and his sculpted muscles.
Combined with the robe’s fitted waist, it accentuated his outrageously long legs and lean waistline.
His skin was extremely pale, and paired with that cold, handsome face, he radiated the innate aura of privilege and nobility, carrying an instinctive sense of distance that kept others away.
Wait—
Qiao Xi’s gaze was suddenly caught by a birthmark flashing briefly at his waist, and her eyes widened instantly!
The birthmark on his body… how could it look so similar to the one on Xiao Ze?
The same location.
The same red mark.
Like a butterfly about to spread its wings and fly away.
She stared so intently that she lost herself in thought, until Nangong He’s sharp gaze shot toward her.
Only then did Qiao Xi suddenly come back to her senses. She gasped and hurriedly looked away, speaking awkwardly.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to!”
Because of the shock, her voice sounded unusually loud in the empty villa.
The person on the other end of the call seemed to say something, causing Nangong He’s expression to darken slightly.
“You heard wrong,” he replied calmly.
Then he directly hung up the phone.
Even with her heels, Qiao Xi could guess that the person on the other end must have assumed he was hiding a woman in the house, and Nangong He was clarifying to avoid misunderstandings.
“Your body…” Qiao Xi’s voice trembled slightly, but she was interrupted before she could finish asking.
“So you came back this early because you failed?”
Nangong He descended the stairs with his long legs, mocking her as he walked.
Some people looked as though they had descended from heaven when silent.
But the moment they opened their mouths, they sounded like they came from hell.
Qiao Xi suddenly calmed down.
Some questions, if asked at the wrong time, could easily damage their relationship.
Better to wait until she figured things out clearly first.
Lowering her voice, she said, “Thanks to you, I made it in time. So, where’s my room?”
“Left side.”
Nangong He looked at her hesitant expression, confusion flickering briefly through his eyes.
As they brushed past one another, Qiao Xi caught the faint scent of a cool, subtle fragrance lingering on him.
Strangely pleasant.
Then his deep, icy voice drifted from behind her.
“I won’t interfere with your participation in the design competition, but remember this: if trouble comes, don’t come begging me.”
Qiao Xi immediately shot back, “Compared to other troubles, you’re the biggest trouble ancestor of all. If you don’t come looking for trouble with me, I should already be thanking you for your great kindness.”
Growing up in the slums had shaped her sharp-tongued personality.
No matter the situation, she refused to lose ground to anyone.
A meaningful glint flashed through Nangong He’s narrow eyes as he slowly replied, “Then I’ll wait and see.”
There were less than two days left before the submission deadline, and Qiao Xi’s design draft still had many unfinished details.
Just before midnight, she completed the final revisions to her design and sent the finished draft to the studio owner’s email for official submission.
Qiao Xi was very confident in her abilities.
This design was something she had poured her heart and soul into for a long time. There was no way there would be any problems.
The next day, she even specifically went to the studio to ask about the progress.
The boss’s secretary told her it had already been taken care of.
As she was leaving, the corner of her eye caught sight of a blurry figure inside the innermost office.
The person seemed to be pressed against the glass window watching her, revealing only half of a somewhat sharp-looking profile.
As though sensing Qiao Xi’s gaze, the figure shifted and quickly disappeared, likely returning to their seat.
Qiao Xi frowned slightly, confusion flashing through her eyes, but she soon turned away calmly again.
After all, her only goal was to avoid participating in the competition anonymously. As long as she could compete, everything else was none of her business.
After returning home, Qiao Xi still couldn’t stop thinking about the birthmark on Nangong He’s body.
The conversation had ended abruptly the previous night, and she hadn’t dared to ask further.
Today, she had to find a way to verify whether it was real or not.
She waited until late into the night before finally hearing the faint sound of a car engine outside.
Standing guard behind her bedroom door, she pressed her ear tightly against it, carefully listening to the movements outside.
She heard Nangong He go upstairs, open his bedroom door, and then the sound of running water came from the bathroom.
After about five minutes passed, Qiao Xi quietly slipped into Nangong He’s bedroom.
As she walked, she clasped her hands together and silently prayed in her heart.
She was only here to verify something, not to peep.
Please, heaven, don’t let her see anything she shouldn’t.
Even through the frosted one-way glass, where everything was blurry and only his rough silhouette could be seen, Nangong He’s exceptional physique was still unmistakable.
Qiao Xi took a soft breath.
With looks and a body like his, if someone peeked at him, it honestly did seem like he was the one at a disadvantage.
Carefully, she opened a tiny crack in the door and eagerly leaned closer, thinking she was finally about to uncover the truth.
Yet in the very next second, she met another pair of cold, merciless eyes that seemed filled with icy shards.